Frank s



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. SIBLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND IVM. E. DOUBLEDAY, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD 0F CURLING HAT-BRIMS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,379, dated October 9, 1860.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK S. SIBLEY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new anduseful Improvement in Means for Curling Hat- Brims; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had tothe annexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein- Figure l, is a plan and Fig. 2 a side elevation of my said means for pressing hats.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

The nature of my said invention consists of a contracting rope or band applied in such a manner with dies as to curl the brim of the hat.

In the drawing c, is the lower die and b, is the upper die, both of which are heated by means of suitable irons or heaters as usual, and the shape of the dies is such as to press the hat of the form and size required, and the two dies are to be brought onto the hat by means of levers or other pressing devices.

The present invention is to be applied to turning up or curling the brims of hats formed of any material although primarily intended for hats made from a flat sheet of felt or woven cloth; and for this purpose I form the lower die a, with a curved rim 1,'

near its edge so that as the pressing progresses and the workman draws the edge of the cloth out evenly, the dies give a slight upward tendency to the cloth. I have a band, cord, or rope c, laid around the edge of the lower die, and the ends of said cord, rope, or band c, pass through pulleys d, d, and terminate as stirrups 2, 2, or may be connected to a lever or treadle. After the hat has been pressed as aforesaid, the workmen put their feet into the stirrups or loops 2, 2, and draw on the band which gathers the cloth around the edges of the upper die and holds the same firmly onto said die while drying or pressing which causes the brim of the hat to assume a curled form corresponding to the shape of the die, and also acts to stretch or draw out the material so as to prevent wrinkles or creases forming particularly where a broad brim is turned or curled over.

I am aware that hat brims have been curled over an iron or mold. Therefore I lay no claim to the operation performed, but in that case a cloth apron wasused to perform the curling or turning up of the brim, and hence the material was not stretched or drawn to the shape of the die but simply curled over in a manner not adapted to hats formed out of Hat sheets of material by dies.

That I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The rope strap or band c, in combination with the dies a, and b, for drawing upon and curling the material forming the hat brim as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this tenth day of August, 1860.

FRANK S. SIBLEY.

Witnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, THos. GEO. HAROLD. 

